Why is North Carolina the greatest head coaching position available following Mack Brown’s firing?
With Mack Brown dismissed, the North Carolina position is the greatest available in college football.
With just one game remaining in the 2024 season, North Carolina fired head football coach Mack Brown on Monday. Brown was on his second term with the Tar Heels, having previously coached at Chapel Hill from 1988 to 1997. The Tar Heels are presently 6-5 and ranked 12th in the ACC. Brown’s cumulative record at North Carolina was 113-78.
The fact that Brown is the first Power Four head coach to be fired this season adds to the surprise of the action. Typically, at this point in the year, there is a long list of coaches who have been let go. However, given the present state of collegiate football—including the effect of the NIL and the transfer portal—programs frequently prioritize stability over quick adjustments.
Starting with the Tar Heels’ vacancy, this is currently the greatest available head coaching position in college football—though many more pink slips are certain to be issued. That being stated, let’s take a look at the top five best open head coaching jobs in the sport today.
1. North Carolina Tar Heels.
As of now, Mack Brown has only one game remaining to coach the Tar Heels, unless he leads the team to the bowl game for which UNC qualified. Beyond that, the 73-year-old, who hinted at retirement earlier this season after his team allowed 70 points against James Madison, is officially leaving Chapel Hill.
But why is this job at the top of our list? For starters, this is the first Power Four head coaching vacancy of the season, which is unusual for this late in the season. However, in today’s college football scene.
where programs are clinging to stability amid the chaos of NIL and the transfer portal, the timing feels reflective of the current era.
Beyond being a Power Four program, there’s immense potential at North Carolina for an up-and-coming coach to make a name for themselves. For one the state and surrounding areas offer a fertile recruiting ground, giving the right hire a chance to make an immediate impact in landing top prospects.
Add to that the current state of college football, which has seen parity reign supreme across the nation. Even the SEC—long considered the sport’s gold standard—lacks a truly dominant team this year. The ACC, in particular, is wide open, with SMU making a statement in its first season by securing a spot in the conference championship game.
While North Carolina is undoubtedly a basketball school down to its bone marrow, the football program has the resources and opportunity to make noise. The Tar Heels have flirted with success in the past but have never fully broken through, with their last ACC title dating all the way back to 1980. This opening represents one of the most intriguing opportunities for a head coach to leave their mark on college football.
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